Ultrasound Technologist
Salary

The average Ultrasound Technologist in the United States can expect to rake in roughly $27.70 per hour. Pay ranges from $19.33 per hour on the low end to $37.34 on the high end. Experience level is the biggest factor affecting pay for this group, followed by geography. The vast majority of Ultrasound Technologists (89 percent) who participated in the survey are women. Although a strong majority have medical coverage and more than half have dental coverage, nearly one-fourth claim no health benefits at all. Most Ultrasound Technologists like their work and job satisfaction is high. Respondents to the PayScale salary survey provided the data for this report.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

Job Description for Ultrasound Technologist

An ultrasound technologist is a trained medical professional who uses an ultrasound machine (a machine based on sound waves) to produce internal images of the body for use by a physician for diagnosing and monitoring various medical conditions. The ultrasound technologist must be knowledgeable in the anatomy of the body for positioning the machine and obtaining the best images possible. Ultrasound technology is used on many parts of the body, and is used in obstetrics for monitoring a fetus. Most ultrasound technologists work in a hospital setting, and may work days, nights, weekends and holidays. Some ultrasound technicians are employed in outpatient clinics and physicians' offices, in which case they normally work Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m until 5:00 p.m. Ultrasound technologists must have good eyesight, as they frequently work in dim lighting and with black-and-white computer images. To become an ultrasound technologist, one must complete an accredited training program which can be up to 4 years in length. One-year certificates can be obtained by individuals with prior experience in the medical field. Training includes a combination of classroom lectures and clinical training. Upon graduation, the candidate must obtain certification by passing a national examination administered by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography or another professional organization. An ultrasound technician can also obtain certifications in specialty areas, such as obstetrics. The daily activities of an ultrasound technician include positioning and preparing the patient for the procedure, and explaining the procedure to the patient. The ultrasound technician must obtain quality images, and often will need to obtain several views of the same area for comparison. The ultrasound technician must also process the images and prepare them for observation by the physician. The ultrasound technician must document the procedure as indicated by the employing facility.

Ultrasound Technologist Tasks

Operate ultrasound equipment to produce and record images according to physician's directive.

Observe screen during scan to ensure satisfactory image for diagnostic purposes, making adjustments as required.

Prepare and position patient for ultrasound exam and explain procedure.

Process and code film, videotape, images or prints from procedures and complete documentation for interpretation by physician.

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Popular Skills for Ultrasound Technologist

This chart shows the most popular skills for this job and what effect each skill has on pay.

Overall, survey participants reported applying a fair number of skills to their work. Most notably, facility with RVT, ABDOMINAL, and Vascular are correlated to pay that is significantly above average, leading to increases of 24 percent, 8 percent, and 7 percent, respectively. The majority of those who know Obstetrics/Gynecology also know Abdomen.

Pay by Experience Level for Ultrasound Technologist

Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.

More years of relevant experience do not necessarily translate to higher paychecks. Respondents with less than five years' experience take home $51K on average. In contrast, those who have been around for five to 10 years earn a noticeably higher average of $61K. Ultrasound Technologists with one to two decades of relevant experience report an average salary of approximately $67K. Ultrasound Technologists with more than 20 years of experience report incomes that are only modestly higher; the median for these old hands hovers around $70K.